Tag: Goal Setting

Welcome to January! How are your New Year’s resolutions going? A recent Gallop survey indicates that nearly 90% of all New Year’s resolutions are broken by the end of January.

So, how do you make your resolutions stick? It may sound crazy; but, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Oprah Winfrey don’t make any resolutions. Instead they make goals.

Goals can transform those vague, often unattainable resolutions into solid actionable plans that become real and attainable.

The goal of this post is to build the case for goal making; enabling you to make those New Year’s Resolutions Stick.

The Case For Setting Goals

Goals Makes Things Happen

Written goals with a target date for accomplishment is the catalyst for making things happen.

Resolution: I want to find a new job.

Goal: I will find a new job by September 1, 2015.

A written goal with an accomplishment date is an external representation of your inner desires. It is a constant reminder of what you need to accomplish.

2, Goals Bring Focus to Dreams

Dreams are a powerful force in our lives. New Year’s Resolutions are a direct by product of our vision for a better future.

However, dreams and resolutions lack the focus needed to make them happen. Goals can bring that focus.

Dream/Resolution: “I want to find a new job.”

Goal: I will have a new job by September 1, 2015. The job will be within 40 miles of my current home and will pay at least 90K.

Notice how much more focused the goal statement is and it gives the dream a fighting chance to be accomplished.

Goals Trump Failure

Resolutions are normally an all or nothing proposition. Almost 90% of our sincere attempts at improvement ends in disappointment.

Goal setting provides a safety net against the mayhem that will accompany our efforts when we fail. By establishing a target it allows us opportunity to simply readjust, recommit and move on. A luxury that the all or nothing resolution cannot give us.

Look at the chart below. A goal and target date has been set. The chart shows how the resolution of finding a job is doing one month later.

Goal charting is an excellent way to stay on track and to readjust our goals when things go wrong.

Goals Can Bring Help

Going solo is a big reason for the failure of many resolutions.

For example look at this resolution: “I will exercise more this year.” The nature of this resolution “I”, has the “go it alone” approach. This resolution is already doomed for failure.

Take a look at the next goal chart. We will take this one a few steps further. We have included others; which will increase the likelihood of accomplishing our goal.

The simple act of taking the resolution and detailing the steps needed for accomplishment will provide the help we need.

Henry David Thoreau said “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

Our resolutions are dreams. We imagine a better life than we are living now; but, it is up to us to successfully bring those images to existence. Get the confidence you need. Make your resolutions stick by turning them into goals that will be accomplished.

Note: This blog contains material form Marben’s new workshop: Goal Set Your Life!!! An action packed seminar designed to give you simple yet, effective tools to live the life you imagined.

Call Marben today at (608) 358-1309 to set up this or other informative seminars for your office, church or civic group.

Marben Bland is a certified project manager, steeped in Six Sigma and Lean methodologies. His unique background in the military, business and the faith community gives him the experience, plus the credibility to obtain results for you in a wide range of consulting, training and speaking assignments.